Land Development

Land development is the process of assessing a piece of land for the purpose of commercial or residential development. That will include topographical surveys, an assessment of local features of the land, access to the land, wildlife considerations and local sentiment towards land development.

You can sell commercial property land to an investor, a company or a private buyer. Typically the land will be advertised as coming with or without planning permission which will impact the value of the land.

Most planning applications receive a decision within 8 weeks, but it can take longer than this depending on local circumstances, objections and consultations.

When engaging with a land developer you should ask about previous property developments, the costs involved, the timescales, the developer’s supply chain and how the developer engages with their clients.

Land development usually involves making use of unused land for the purpose of either commercial or residential use. This can include installing roads, utilities and landscaping to make the space safe for use.

Land is evaluated to help identify which use it is most suited to and whether it is suitable for development. Many factors will be considered when evaluating land such as the location, access, surveys of the topography and environmental and social impact of development.

Typically the stages of land development will include the site and due diligence phase, the design, planning and consents phase, the engineering and construction phase and the completion and handover phase.

There are many questions to ask before purchasing land. You will want to know if there are any restrictions on the land, what the boundaries are, what access there is to the land, whether there are any planning permissions granted and the titles to the land.

There are two main types of land survey. The first is a land survey that will tell you what the boundaries are. The second type of land survey is a more detailed assessment of the topography, the elevation levels, the quality and structure of the soil and any specific features of the land.

Land use is the process of analysing and assessing the social and economic benefits to humans of developing a piece of land.

A Landowners Development Agreement is a written agreement between the owner of the land and various local bodies and organisations engaging in developing the land, which sets out some guidelines on what the land can be developed for and how to access the land for development.

An option agreement exists between the owner of the land and a potential buyer. The potential buyer will usually pay a fee to the owner of the land in order to secure an option to buy the land at either an agreed price or at the market value of the land.

There are several steps involved in land development, usually involving the initial evaluation of the land and surveys, the acquisition or purchase of the land, the design and planning phases on how the land will be developed, the construction or build phase on the land and then the completion, handover or ongoing management of the land.